Comstock v. Taggart

120 N.W. 29, 156 Mich. 47, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 547
CourtMichigan Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 16, 1909
DocketDocket No. 63
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 120 N.W. 29 (Comstock v. Taggart) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Michigan Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Comstock v. Taggart, 120 N.W. 29, 156 Mich. 47, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 547 (Mich. 1909).

Opinion

Blair, C. J.

This is an action on a promissory note for $600, being one of three notes executed by the 13 defendants for the purchase price of a stallion. The other two notes were for $800 each. The notes were dated August 29, 1904, and were payable, respectively, on October 1, 1906, 1907, and 1908. Defendants pleaded the general issue and gave notice that, prior to and at the time of the sale of the stallion, “ which sale was made by the delivery of said notes to plaintiff on, to wit, September 14, 1904,” at Central Lake, Antrim county, plaintiff’s agent and the plaintiff, in person, warranted that the stallion was absolutely sound and a sure foal getter, and plaintiff did personally warrant that the stallion “was a first-class foal getter and did then and there expressly warrant said stallion to get with foal at least 90 per cent, of all the mares he would serve for breeding purposes,” [49]*49etc.; that the stallion was worthless as a foal getter, and they claimed the right to recoup their damages. Defendants gave evidence tending to show that there was a verbal warranty that the horse was a sure foal getter, and that they might return him, if dissatisfied, at any time before the third note fell due, to the livery barn in Central Lake, and that they had so returned him. Plaintiff gave evidence tending to show that the warranty was in . writing and was as follows:

“Byron, Mich., August 29, 1904.
“This article witnesseth: That whereas, I have this day sold to the Central Lake Horse Breeding Association the French coach stallion, Navigator, No. 1,675, now therefore I hereby guaranty the above-named horse to be a sure foal getter, also a reproducer of good stock with proper care and handling. In case he should not prove so I agree to take back said stallion by October 1, 1906, and return to the Central Lake Horse Breeding Association their notes or money or replace him with another horse of the same breed and size upon delivery of the above-named horse at M. D.' Comstock’s barn at Byron, Michigan, in as good and sound condition as he is at present. This is the only contract given by me and is not to be changed or varied by any promises or representations of my agents.”

The case was submitted to the jury and a verdict returned for defendants assessing their damages at $1,466.

Plaintiff has brought the record to this court for review upon the following assignments of error, viz.:

(1) The court erred in overruling plaintiff’s motion for a new trial.
(2 and 3) That the court erred in refusing to strike out certain testimony.
(4) The court erred in refusing to give plaintiff’s eighth request to charge.
(5) The court erred in charging as to the effect of the written guaranty if given “after the notes were signed and the bargain made.”
(6) The court erred in his instruction as to the meaning of the terms “a sure foal getter.”
[50]*50(7) The court erred in charging the jury in relation to the question of damages.

1. The ground of the motion for a new trial was that “the verdict of said jury and the judgment entered thereon are unjust as being against the weight of the evidence.” In response to a proper request from plaintiff, the circuit judge filed his reasons for denying the motion. In order to render such decision reviewable, the statute requires that exception shall be taken thereto. 3 Comp. Laws, § 10504; Knop v. Insurance Co., 101 Mich. 359; Pearl v. Township of Benton, 136 Mich. 697; Culver v. Railroad Co., 144 Mich. 254; Moffet v. Sebastian, 149 Mich. 451. We find no exception in the record to the decision of the circuit judge denying the motion, and therefore cannot consider it.

2 and 3. Certain testimony was received against objection, as follows:

“ At that time Mr. Comstock said the horse would pay for himself, that we wouldn’t have to pay a cent for him. I had very little talk with Comstock at the time. That the horse was full blooded and would have to breed after himself. * * *
“Q. What did he say about the earnings and the guaranty as to them ?
“Mr. Richards: I object to that. If it was said it would not be the basis of a warranty. It would not constitute a warranty. It would not be the statement of any fact to be the basis of a warranty.
The Court: I will receive it for the present. (To which ruling plaintiff then and there excepted.)
“A. He said we had nothing to lose and everything to gain. He said if this horse had not earned the price of himself when these notes became due, he says, ‘You can take him back to the barn.’ He says, ‘You ain’t paying one dollar for that horse, not a dollar.’ He said the horse would pay for himself under those guaranties, that he would be a sure foal getter and that if he didn’t we could return him.”

Counsel for plaintiff contend:

“That this testimony was incompetent and immaterial [51]*51and prejudicial, for the reason that, if the statements were made as claimed by the witness, they could not be the basis of a warranty. They were simply expressions of opinion. They were promissory in their nature and were not the statement of any fact.”

Even if this testimony was inadmissible as not tending to prove a warranty, still we do not think its reception could have been prejudicial as the case was submitted. Substantially the only difference, as stated by counsel in their briefs, between the verbal warranty and the written warranty, was as to the time and place of return, which, according to the verbal warranty, was to be made at the livery stable at Central Lake, at any time before the third note fell due. The essence of the warranty was that the horse should be “ a sure foal getter,” and whether he was or was not was the question submitted by the court. The answer to this question depended upon the testimony of several witnesses for each party as to what constituted “a sure foal getter,” and whether the use of the stallion as testified to by his handlers brought him within the class. We do not think the determination of this question could have been so prejudiced by the reception of the testimony in question as to justify a reversal.

4. Plaintiff’s eighth request to charge was as follows:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
120 N.W. 29, 156 Mich. 47, 1909 Mich. LEXIS 547, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/comstock-v-taggart-mich-1909.